Coating-machine.



I, z l

Wfl/life,

I n. l l l F. H. WQOLF. comme MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 23, 191s` 6 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

P. H. WOOL?.

vGOATIIeIGf MACHINE. A APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1913.

5. Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. H. WOOL?. GOATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1913.

Patented Mar. 23', 1915.

dy n. 3 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 2Q l Z7422] di! J3@ F. H. WOOLF.

GOATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1913.

1, 1 32,895. Patented Mar. 23, A1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' F. H. WOOLF.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 23, 191s.

1y132,895, Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

P. H. WOOLF.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 191s.

1,132,895., Patented Mar.23,1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Q6 QQ QQ ZZZ f 'nnrrnn srarns ra'rnnr orrrcn FRANK H. WOOLF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR TO HENRY HARFST, FRANK H.

JUDD, AND THOMAS M. SULLIVAN, ALLOF CHICAGQVILLINOIS.

COATING-MACHIN E. I

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented iwal. 23, 1915.

Application led August 23, 1913. Serial No. I#86,206.

T all 'Lo/wm it may concern.' Y

Be it lrnown that I, FRANK H. WooLF, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Coating-Machines; the following 1s 'a and I do hereby declare full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which'form apart of this specication. 4 y l.

This invention relates to a novel machine for coating confections ornuts, `such as peanuts, pecans and bon bons with a"coating of chocolate', icing or the like, and the inveir tion consists in the matters hereinafter. s et forth and more particularly pointed out 1n the appended claims@ y Among the objects of the invention is vto provide a simple and compact machine hav.-

l ing large capacity for automatically and contin'uously coating nuts, confections and the like with any suitable coating layer.

I have herein illustrated onev approved form of machine in which 4my invention is embodied, but it will be understood from the following description that the invention, in its' broader aspect, is capable of other embodiments and that, therefore, the invention l is not limited to the structural details herein shown except as such details are made the subject of specific claims. In the drawings :-F igure 1 is an elevation of the 'right hand side ofthe machine, as viewed fromthe rear end thereof, with parts broken awa-y. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the reverse side of the machine.. Fig. 3 is al plan view of the machine. a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a. rear elevation lof the machine, with parts broken awa-y. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is. a vertical section on the indirect line 7-7 ot Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a verticalsection on the line 8'-8of Fig. 32. Fig. 9 is a side Fig. 4 1sI v a heating or. lcontainers by which the product of the carrier. Figs. 13 and 1'4 are details or' a clutch constituting part of thecarrier driving mechanism.l Fig.- 15 is. a fragmentary detail illustra-ting the mechanism for forcing the. product `into the baskets when delivered thereto by the feed mechanism. 'F ig. 16 is a detail illustrating the means for operating the take olil belt and for raising 'and lowering the same, for a purpose hereinafter'to be described.' Fig. 17 is a detail of ,the forward roller of the take-off `beltgand mechanism for operating. said roller.,

As shown in the drawings, the frame of the machine consists principally of two side members .embracing front and rear standards 20, 21 and connecting members 22, 23; Said sidemembers may be joinedb T suitable transverse frame members 24 'one ot' which is shown in Fig. 5) which may be located and arrangedin any. 'preferredl manner. v

'30 designates the main drivingshaft of the machine mounted in the rear standards 21 and provided with a pulley 31 through which driving power is transmittedy to the machine. Said sha-ft.. is provided with a pinion 32 that meshes with a large geary wheel 33 of a secondary shaft 35 which latter is mounted in the lower side members 22.01 the frame. (Figs. l and 2.) y

40 designates an open topped receptacle, arranged lengthwise of the machine, to contain aiiuid coating material through which 'I the lproduct is passed tol be coated. IThis v receptacle is removably supported, through the medium oi brackets 41, on the upper side members 23 of the frame. The saidreceptacle is made with hollow lwalls, as

most clearly shown in Fig. 6 so-as topermit agent to circulate therethrough to maintain the coating at the desired tempera` ture and at a proper consistency. This heating agent may be steam or hot .water circulated through the hollow walls ot the receptacle 40, as byy means of the circulatory pipes 43, 44, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 7.

The carrier mechanism by which the product is carried through said receptacle 40 and in contact with the coating material therein comprises, in the present instance, two yendless chains 45, 45, which are trained about front and rear pairsofdpulley i6, 47,-

to s a ts 48 l respectively, the former fixe which are mounted in bearings 49 carried by the frame, and the latter xed to a shaft 50 which is mounted in fixed bearings at the upper ends of 2l. The bearings 49 of the rear shafts are vertically movable for a-purpose', and by a mechanism, hereinafter to be described.

The carrier embraces also a group of baskets or like containers, designated' as a., whple .by 55, arranged transversely across the machine and into which the product ,is

delivered by a suitable feed mechanism, and by which itis carried through the coating basket form,

bath. For the sake of clearness, the container, which is herein shown as of general l' tainer 'tof any particular fol-morv construcvtion.

part of its construction two parallel bars 56, 57 arranged transversely Y- of .the receptacle i I. 40 from which dependw'ire's 58 v"that are plurality of baskets, as 9,10 and 11. vThe bar formed at its'ends with assembled to forma best'shown in Figs.

57 of each group 1s transverse lugs 59 from which extend trun-V nions 60 that are rockingly mounted,r in the carrier chains whereby the groups` of baskets are permitted to 'tip or' rock .rela-v tively to said carrier chain. The said transverse members 56, 57 are formed with registering recesses to provide a series of openings 61 that constitute the open tops or the receiving mouths of the baskets. rlhe wires 58`which constitute each individual basket t basket wires,

as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10,'to1.

are .turned inwardly at their lower ends to constitute portion of the. wires constituting each bas-l ket depend from and are attached to one of the transverse members ofthecarrier, and another portion is attached to and depends from the other transverse member, as most lclearly shown in Figs. 10 and 1l; and one of the transverse members, the member 56 as herein shown, is adapted. to be rocked away from the other member so' as to carry the portion of the basket wires supported thereby away from the other portion, of the and to thereby open the basket permit the coated product to drop out f,pf the basket. f f

This result is effected, as hereinshown, by providing the member 56 of the carrier with trunnions 62 that are .rockingly mounted in bearings in the lugs 59 of the other trans# verse member 57. A torsion spring 65 sur-- rounds one of said trunnions and engages at I its ends the adjacent lug 5,9 and the member 56 and tends to normally hold the basket closed. A stop lug 66, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l1,v limits the rocking movei 'ment of the member 56 toward the closing position ofthe baskets. The said baskets the vrear frame standards will be termed a basket, but vthis term is not intended to restrict the :con

Each group of containers embraces as the Vbottoms ofthe baskets. A"

' movement thereof is arrested atfthe time one group of baskets is in position to receive the productv fromV the feed mechanism' and another group of baskets isin positionl to discharge the coated product therefrom; 'lihe mechanism for so automatically and intermittently actuating the carrier is made as follows: designates a crank disk fixed to the secondary shaft 35', to which is eccentrically 'and loosely connected one end of a re-v ciprocating rack bar 71. rl`he'upper end of 'said bar extends upwardlyand rearwardly toward the carrier actuatingl shaft 50. rfhe teeth of said rack bar mesh with a pinion 73 that is'loosely mounted on the carrier actuating vshaft 50, and 'said rack bar is guided in itsy reciprocating movement and held in mesh with said teeth by means of a suitable guide 74. The said pinion 78 is free to turn on the shaft 50 in clock-wise di recjtion and -when turning in this `direction transmits no movement .to the shaft 50, as when the rack barmoves downwardly under the action of the. crank disk 70.

A clutch device is interposedbetween the pinion 73 'and a partx'ed to the shaft 50, jwhereby, when the'rack bar is moved upwardly and the pinion vis turned in a counter clock-wise direction rotary ymotion 1s transmittedv to the shaft and therethrough motion is impartedato the carrier. A suitable form of 'clutch .device for -this'purpose is shown in' Figs. 13 and '14 and is made as follows: `7' 5 designates a disk that is keyed toor otherwise fixed to the shaft 50 at the side of pinion 7 3. Said disk is provided on its face adjacent to said pinion with sockets -7 6 to receive dogs 77 that are adapted to be projected outwardly by springs 79 into the notches 8 0 of thel adjacent face of the pinion.

` The said dogs' and notches are each formed' with one tapered' yface and one abrupt face and are arranged in such manner that when the pinion is rotated in one direction z'. e. clock-wise direction, the interacting tapered faces of the dogs and notches act to force the dogs backwardly into .the sockets 76 Vagainst the action of the. springs 79 and out lof the notches 80, thereby transmitting no movement to the shaft 50. When, however,

.the pinion is rotated in the oppositedirection, byv the upward movement of the rack bar 7l, the abrupt faces of the dogs engage like facesor walls of the notches sol as to constitute a driving connection between the said pinion and said disk, and thereby, the carrier.

l ln order to prevent back lash of the shaft Structure, as shown in Fig. 6, and remains there until the feed roll 86 has been intel'- l product into said chutes, and therethrough crankarm 97, and saidpawl engages at its i and the` carrier actuated chine with a notched diskzlfadaptedgtobe l engaged by a :holding d'ogySS'v Which'fis pivot# the front end of the machine frame and at a of the hopper and is provided With va plu- ,product'from the l hopper to the baskets.

mittently rotated inpropertimed relation to end of the secondary shaft. 35.4 Upon rota- 1,182,895 y Y y tion of the crank disk V10() in "tl'e direction actuating rackbar 71 is,retracteihand therefy indicated by the arrow, the yf e'edroll is roby allow the baskets to getgout of ,time,relair `jtated rearwardly an angular di'stan'ceequal i tively to the'other-'movements 'ofthe ma- 'fto the 4angular distance 'betwleer'i.thV chine, thesaid-.fshaft'5Of-ishereinsheyvn?4I` fpockets/87 therein, and this; provided atthe'right handsidefofth a ufclrasl to carry a groupof'pckets vto"` and s ightlyf'past- Vthe feedingposition," or the j positionjvfin fivhich the product isdischarged, rthroughlathef guide 'chutes 90 into thefbaskets.

ally 'mounted ,inl the'majchine frame and ,is held with its free "ndi pressed r vtoward-'the Asqhereinfshown 'therey are four 'groupsfof periphery of ith Y 4 kbylaspring "84,39" 'pockets'dn'the feedfroll,V and*l the"` ratchet f most clearly'shtnvn-il "s 1.1andVi-3`rSi-I1Lthe'5"Wheel?93.istherefore, `provided with` four arrangement sho." Hch's i like spaced teeth. The said feed roll driving movement is effected. du n., Y 4 Vif-mechanism is so timed, relativelytothe car-y rotation'of'thefshaft Silf;thatfthe'diskttSll ri'er driving mechanism, that the feed roll is provided withtvvo I'notches".82:forengageff 'i's'stationary While the carrier is actuated to ment by the dog g f I `jinove o ne group of baskets tothe discharge The feed,x mechanism"herein "shown "for position thereof, and ranother group of bas-- feeding theA product 'to the groups of baskets' kets into position to receive the product from as'each group is-arrested in position' to'rethe feed roll. Thereafter the feed roll is ceive the product` is madel as follows: 85 `,moved rearuf'ardly one step during thel pedesignates a hopper to contain the product. riod` of inaction of the-carrier to charge' or It is supported in any suitable manner at 'load the baskets. y i *1 'lIn order to facilitate the'feeding 'of' the 1 product from the hopper to the pockets of 90 the roll, the'inclined bottom Wall 105 of the v hopper is-formed with a pluralityof transy verse grooves 106 to guide the product into the pockets. lIn order to further- -facilitate 'such feeding action I .may provide means fo'r 95 laterally shaking the hopper so 'as tofi'sure "the feedingv movement. of the productfto' the; feed roll pockets, and-prevent the'product level above the carrier. 86 designates a feed roll Which-extends across the rear open side rality of pockets 87, equal in number'and laterally spaced to correspond with the spac" ing of, the baskets. The said feed roll is intermittently rotated by means, hereinafter to be described, totransfer the pieces of The said individual pieces of 'product' are guided from the pockets of saidfeed roll hopper. .Forthis purpose, the-hopp aylOo to the baskets .by means of a series of guide be slidingly supportedfolraloopjl' ket'- l, chutes 90 formedin a structure that is ar- '108, as 'shovvnin Fig. 41', 4jhereby,tli ho ranged in rear ofthe feed roll, as most .may slide endvviseonv fppfo ran'sfy versely tof-the machine for Shaking the hopper L u y, [fin Figs. 2,-3and ,4'andg1sp-ma e-aQ n y designates' af crankthatfis Xedto the main drivinglshaft 30 at` thepri'ght y hand vend of the machine. :1111 designates la link 'that is looselv connectedat ,one end to said crank 113 and at the other end to` acrank -arm '112 at the lower end ofa rookshaft 113, suitably mounted on the frame, as shown in Fig. 2. At the upper end of said rod is a-crank arm clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Each group of' baskets, Whenbr'ought to the load ing position thereof, stops yimmediately be-` neath theibotto'm Wall of the guide chute mittently rotated to deposit a charge of into the baskets. The said feed roll is interthe carrier operating mechanism through means herein shown madev as follows: Fixed. to one end of the shaft 92 on Which the feed roll is mounted is av ratchet Wheel 93 (Fig. 1) said shaft being mounted in bearings 95 carried by the lupper ends of the front standards 20 of the machine frame. 96 designates a pawl'which is pivoted to a that extends 'inwardly tov'vard and is attached to the bottom of the hopper, in a manner shown most clearly in Fig. 4. The hopper is thereby continuously shaken or vibrated during the rotation of the main 12e driving shaft.

The baskets, after having passed, with their charges of product, through the coating bath, are preferably subjected to a1 shaking operation, just before they reach their unloading positions, in order to shake ofi' from the. baskets and the product therein any excess of coating material that may cling thereto. The shaking mechanism herein shown for this purpose, and best free end the teeth of the ratchet wheel 93, it being normally pressed thereagainst by thespring 98. 99 designates a link which is loosely connected at its upper end ,to said crank arm 97 and extends rearwardly and 4downwardly and is loosely and eccentrically connected to a disk 100 fixed to the 'stance is '10 from becomingpackedingthe:botoin the 114 Which is loosely connected to a link 115 11.5 l

illustratedin Figs. l, 2, and 6 and is made as follows: 120 designates a shaker bar that extends transversely acrossthe upper open side of the coating bath receptacle 40. It is provided at its ends with downturned arms 121 that are rockingly mounted in.lugs that extend upwardly from the side walls of the receptacle, whereby the bar 120 is free to swing about the axes of the bearing ends ofl said arms. 123 designates a link that l1s loosely connected at one end thereof to said bar, and is looselyI connected at the other end thereof to the upper end of a vertical,

' vibratory lever 124 that ispivoted tothe machine frame at 125. The lower end of said lever 124 is forked to engage over a pin or stud 126 that extends laterally from a sprocket disk or wheel 127 that is rotatively mounted on a stubshaft 128 xed to the frame of the machine. The said sprocket wheel 127 is driven by a belt -128 from a sprocket wheel 130 that is fixed to the main driving shaft 30. Therelation of the die.

ameters of the said sprocket wheels 127 and 130 is such that the shaking bar 120 is given a relatively rapid vibratory movement. rlhe intermittent driving mechanism for the carrier is so arranged that one group of baskets stops over and in contact with the vibratory shaking bar at the end of each step of movement of the carrier and there i remains during the time the next group in rear thereof is being charged, so that the baskets in contact with the shaking bar and their contents arefairly shaken. i

Beferringnow to the mechanism for dis- .charging the coated product from the basmachine frame.

ping pins 135.

kets after the baskets have been thus subjected to theshaking operations, the same is made as follows:.The trailing members 56 of the pairs 0f transverse bars 56. and 57, and which are under the influence of the torsion springs 65, are provided with tripping pins or lugs 135 that extend down wardly and forwardly therefrom. The said -tripping pins or lugs are located in the path of, what may be termed, a tripping cam designated, as a whole, by' 136. .This tripping cam consists of a general U-shapedv member that is loosely connected -to 137 to an extension 188 at the left hand side of the.

The horizontal portionbf the tripping cam lies in the path of the tripcam extends downwardly beyond its pivoted end and is loosely connected at its lower end to one end ofan actuating lever 140, which lever is pivoted between its ends at 141 to the machine frame. The other end of said lever 140 'is in contact with and is adapted to be actuated by a cam 142 fixed to the secondary shaft 35. The said cam 142 has two eccentric projections 143, '144, thereon, herein shown as spacedsomewhat more than 90 apart, -When the free end lthe baskets.

The freeend of the trippingincassa of said lever 140 is riding on the concentric part of the cam 142, the tripping cam 136 llies below the level of the path of the tripping pins 135. Theeccentric projection 143 of the cam 142 is of less length than the pro- `jection 144 for the following reason: The

engagement of the shorter projection 143- with the lever 140 acts to partially open the baskets and, while the arm is in' contact with the concentric part of the cam 142 between the cam projections, the baskets again close.

Thereafter, when the projection 144 of thel cam 142 strikes the'lever 140,- the tripping cam 136 is raised high enough to fully open The purpose ofthis construction and operation is to insure that the coated product will be discharged freely from the baskets.l If the baskets were opened at once and for the short time given for such opening movement, the coated product might tend to stick to the baskets. l-Iowldischarged therefrom and upon the belt.

The method herein disclosed for eHecting .this result consists in giving to the receiving portion of the take-off belt a lateral shaking movement relative tov the group of baskets above the same, so that the coat ed product deposited upon the'belt passes anumber of times in opposite directions beneath the dripping baskets to receive the marking. The means herein shown for effecting such marking of the product embraces means for raising the frame and belt toward the baskets at their discharging or .unloading position, combined with means for laterally shaking said frame and belt during the descending movement of the belt and its frame. The means herein shown for effecting thisy result are made as follows: 150 designates an endless take-ofin belt which is trained about a driving roller 151, the trunnions v152 of which are rotatively mounted in bearings in theforward ends of the frame bars 153 which are connected by a transverse bar 154. Said belt frame bar 154 has sliding motion on the transverse bar 156 that supports the A.foiuvard end of the frame of the take-oil belt, as shown in Fig.

v6. Said bar 156 is provided at its ends with bearings 157 that slide in vertical guide grooves of the extension frame 138. lt has an upwardly opening groove tol receive the beltframe bar 154 to hold the latter bar in place and guide it in its sliding movement. The other, or rear', end of the take-od belt the rotating cam 168. The other end vofthe 35 s tively tothe secondary shaft that thetake ,off belt is raised before the baskets are low-` 1- ered to vtheir `discharge position, and is rapidly lowered as soon as the product has `frame to rise and fall and it carries an-idle .roller about which the rear take-off belt is trained. y .160 designates a rock'shaft mounted 1n -suitable bearings in the extension frame 138.

Fixedto the said rock shaft are rocking cams 161, 161. Uponl the peripheries of these cams ride rollers 162 which are mounted in depending bearings 164, 164 carried by the belt frame vsupporting bar 156.-V Conserquently thefrocking'.movement of thecams .15 S15 the. rollers I162 are riding onv the .eccentric .jf portions of the cam and is lowered as the rollers 162. drop to lthe concentric portions 'of the cams` The saidrocking shaft 160 is carries` at its free end a pawl 194v which is 161 ofthe take-off belt is once raised while rockedv through 'the mediumof a cam 168 fixed to the secondary shaft3'5 atjthe lleft hand side of the machine, a lever 169 is- .chine frame and is springpressed to yield-` pivoted between its ends at. 17 O to the Inaingly engage at one end the periphery of lever 169 is connected by a link 171 to -a -vcrank arm 17 2 of the rocking cam shaft 160.

` once to raisethe 'take-off belt frame and,

' During each rotation of the secondary shaft 35 therefore, the rocking 'cam is actuated i' hold itin its upper position for a prescribed perio'd, andto thereafter allow ysaid frame and takeolf belt to descend. The 'raising and lowering mechanism is sotimed, rela` been discharged therefrom.'v The mechanism for imparting4 tothe take off belt and its -frame a laterally. vibratory motion during' an adjacent' part -of, lthe machine frame.-y 'The said beltz'frame. `ziisffpres-sed toward the" fits vertical. movement is made as follows. O nejof the side members of the said laterally movable take'off'belt driving roller'carrying frame' is provided with aroller 180 flutedplate.orgblock.-by-meansjof a coi-led,

` expansion spring '185;` whichl surroundsl the 4f .llfdriving shaft 186. 'o f vvvfthe`.. rollerf-151, said f 'drivingjshaft-.beingherein .shown as made and its" tru'nnion, whereby the roller has lon- 'gitudinal movement relatively to its driving f shaft. With this construction, when the A take of? belt and its, frame' is moved vertivca'lly,.fcontact"-ofthe; vroller 4180 with fthe' square to-ft a squared opening in lthe roller iiuted .plate 181A has the effect to give Y lateral vibrationzto the'beltvfram'e and roller, and thereby t'ojthebelt 'carried for the purpose j i set forth; lthis movement of the belt driv 'ing'l roller anda fitssliding frame 154; lbeing portion'of the*y 'coated product thereon under product .to the `b/@tomsl of the4 indicated in dotted lines in Fi y.the axis of said shaft, and' is descent'of the cam 161, (Fig. 16) so that lateral movement of the belt and the row of the 'dripping baskets is comparatively rapid.

The means for driving the take off beltrollerr 151 and for giving movement to the belt 1.50 is most clearly shown invFigs. r1 and 16 and is made as follows: 190 designatesan eccentric xed to the secondary shaft 35 at the right hand side of the machine. strap 191 of the said eccentric is fixed tothe jointed lever which consists of two members 192, 193'whichare hinged or loosely connected at their adjacent ends'. The member 193 is pivotally connected between its ends to the driving shaft 185 of the roller 156 and ycorrespond to the Amovement of the carrier, andthe parts are sotimed that the take-ofi' belt is stationary when the baskets are in poi.; 'U 'l independentofithe bar y' The descend-lv `V 'mgmovement of kthe take off belt frame is comparatively rapid, by lreason of the quick The sitionv to discharge the coated product there.l

on, and is intermittently moved during'a portion ofthe intermittent movement of the carrier.

In order to .insure that the pieces of prod?-v uct shall fallfto the bottoms ofthe baskets v of the carrierrafnd 'to' thereby insure the submersionvv ofthe product in the coating bath,

I provide mechanism which operates, just after the-piecesof product have beenl deposited in the baskets, to press said pieces of prod uct'to the bottoms of the baskets. embodiment of my invention, as herein shown, embraces the following mechanism:

This

200 (Figs. .7, 8, and'15)`designate a rock shaft which extends transversely across the front end of the lcoating bath receptacle near thebottom thereof and in front of the load# iing positions of the baskets. shaft is provided witha plurality of lingers 201y which, when the rock shaft is rocked rearwardly, pass` rearwardly and downwardly vbetv'veen the/'wires constituting the basketsso as to thereby force the pieces of baskets, as g. 15.' The means yfor rocking the shaft 200` to effect this result are/made asv follows: 205-designates a cam which is fixed to the secondary shaft 85. Said `cam is concentric throughout the greater portion of its provided with The said rock ,periphery to.

` however, the' roller engages the depression.

a relatively short eccentric notch 206. 207 designates a swinging lever which is piv oted to an extension 208 of the frame, and is placed under the influence lof the contractile spring 209, which acts to hold the roller 210 against the periphery of the cam. A link 211 connectsthe upper endof the swinging lever 207 to a crank arm 212 rigid with. the shaft 200. During the time the roller 210 is riding on the concentric portion of the cam 205 the fingers 201 are held upright in front of the baskets. When,

or eccentric portion of the cam, the spring 209 draws the fingers forwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. l5, and thereby forces the product delivered to the baskets to the bottoms of the latter.

As a further and separate improvement, means are provided to raise and lower the forward shafts 48 of the carrier and to thereby raise and lower theforward portion of the carrier. This construction enables the carrier, carrying the depending baskets, to be raised and lowered so that the lower ends of the baskets will clear the forward wall of the coating bath receptacle 40 and at the same time permit the carrier to be v lowered so that the parts of the baskets to which the pieces of product are delivered, will be submerged in the coating bath and will pass for a portion of the length of the bath receptacle thus submerged. The mechanismiwhereby this raising and lowering of the'forward carrier roller shafts is effected is most clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 7 and l2, and is -made as follows: 220 designates a cam which is fixed to the secondary shaft 4325. 221 designates a lever which is pivoted 40 between its ends at 222 to the machine frame and is provided at one end with a roller 223 that'engages and travels on the periphery of said cam. The other end of the lever has a loose or slotted connection with a crank arm 225 fixed to a rock shaft 226 that extends transversely across the forward end of the machine frame.

, 226 yis provided at both its ends with other crank arms 227, 227, and said latter crank arms are connected yby links 228, 228 withr the ends of the rearvsupporting .shafts '48 of the carrier. As' before stated, the

vto

of the cam 220, the rear end of the lever .is

thereby held up', and it acts through the mechanism described, to holdk the carrier i shafts 48 and the forward portion of the carrier in their uppermost positions.' In the position which 1s shown in full lines in Fig. 6, the baskets are held high enough The said rocky shaft mageos to clear the front w-all of the coating bath receptacle. Immediately 'after the baskets have been charged by the feed roll 86, the

roller 223 passes off thehigh portion of the cam 220 to the lower portion thereof by a quick descent, so as to submerge the baskets and their contents in the coating bath contained in the receptacle 40."

There is provided lbeneath the coating bath receptacle a second receptacle 235 adapted to contain ai; body of liquid, the character of which de ends uponvthe product being coated. hen coating nuts or confections with chocolate, this body of liquid will preferably be a vegetable oil whichis icompatible with the coating liquid. When coating confections with icing, this fluid in said receptacle 235 may and preferably will be Water. The contents of the said receptacle may be heated in `any' suitable manner, as by a heating coil or by a gas burner 236, the latter being shown in Fig. 6. The baskets are passed through the liquid in said receptacle 235 in order to cleanse the baskets of any coating material which may cling to them, so that the baskets may pass back into the coating bath tank comparatively free from the coating liquid.

The rising and falling movements given to the forward carrier-.supportin shafts cause the baskets to be dipped or su merged into the liquid in the rece tacle 235. At the same time the baskets, w ich have theretofore been filled ywith the product are dipped into the coating bath. This descent of the empty baskets into thecleansing liquid is rapid so ras to Ithereby `facilitate the cleansing action of the liquid thereon, and the descent of the charged baskets into the body of coating liquid is likewise rapid.

While the machine herein shown is a dipping machine, it will. be obvious that some of the features thereof are adapted to other types of machines, as for instance, a pouring machine. f

As before stated, it will be obvious that the structural details of many features of the machine may be considerably varied without departure from the spirit and scope of theV invention, and the invention is not limited to such details except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims or as imposed bythe prior art.

1 claim as my invention 1. A coating machine comprising an endless traveling carrier, with means to impart thereto an intermittent movement, said carrier embracing pendant, open to ped skeleton containers, feed means for eeding the product to said containers, means .to apply a coating material to the product in said containers, and means whereby the product is discharged from the lower ends of the said containers.

. 2. A coating machine comprising an endieur Yopening movement thereof.

less traveling carrier, with means to impart thereto intermittent movement, said carrier embracing open topped skeleton containers, feed means for feeding the product to the said containers, and means to apply a coating material to the product in said containers, said containers being spreadable at their lower ends to open them and to thereby discharge the coated product through said lower ends.

3. A coating machine comprising a carrier, with means to impart thereto an intermittent movement, said carrier embracing open topped containers, feed means for feeding the product to said containers, means to apply a coating material to the product in said containers, said containers comprising pendant wires which are spreadable at their lower endsto open the containers and to thereby discharge the product therefrom, and means located in the path of the carrier and co-acting with the containers to so open them.

4. A coating machine 'comprising a carrier, with meansv to impart intermittent movement thereto, said carrier embracing open topped containers, feed means for feeding the product to said containers, means for applying a coating material to the product in said containers, said containers being spreadable at their lower ends ,to open them and to thereby discharge the' coated product from the said lower ends, and `means located in the path of the carrier and coacting with the containers to so open them, comprising means to first partially open the containers and permit them to close and to thereafter fully open the containers.

5. In a coating machine, a carrier, with means to operate it, said carrier embracing a series of open topped, pendant, basketlike containers made of two parts and spreadable at their lower ends to discharge the coated product, and means to control the openin of the containers', constructed to give pre iminary movement to lthe movable part of the container prior to the full 6. A coating machine comprising a carrier, consisting of endless belts, pulleys about which the belts are trained, with means for giving movement to said belts, said carrier comprising also groups of pendant, skeleton containers extending transversely between the belts, with means to apply a coating fluid to the product in said containers, -and means whereby the product is automatically discharged from the lower ends of said containers. p

7. A coating machine comprising a carrier consistin of endless belts, pulleys about which the be ts are trained, with means for giving movement to said belts, said carrier comprising also twin transverse bars which belts, with spreadable, basketlike containers depending therefrom, means to apply a. coating material to the product in sald containers, and means acting on one of the twin bars tospread the containers at their lower ends to discharge the contents thereof.

8. A coating machine' comprising .a carricr consisting of endless belts, pulleys aboutl which the belts are trained, with means to give movement to the belts, said carrier comprising also a 4plurality of groups of containers, bars, one of which is supported onthe belts and the other of which is rockingly mounted on the belt supported bar, and wires depending from the twin bars toconstitute basket like containers the lower ends of which are adapted to be spread apart by the rocking movement of said rocking bar, and means to apply a coating material `to the product in said containers.

9. A coating machine comprising a carrier consistin of endless belts, pulleys about which the bets are trained, with means to give movement to the belts, said carrier comprising also a plurality of groups of containers, each group consisting vof twin bars, one of which is supported on the belts and the other of which is rockin ly mounted on the belt supported bar, an wires depending from the twin bars to constitute basket like containers, the lower ends of y which are adapted to spread apart by rocking movement of the rocking bar, means located in the path of the carrier to act onv each rocking bar to rock the same and to thereby open lthe associated basketlikecontainers, and .means to apply a coating 'material to the 'product in theffsaid containers.

l0. In a coating machine,-a. carrier pro- -vided with an openwork or lskeleton container open at its upper end and spreadable at its lower end to discharge the contents thereof. p

ll. In a coating machine, a carrier comprising two bars, one ofwhich is rockingly mounted on the other, two sets of wires depending from and carried one by each of said bars to form the open topped basket like containers, whereby rocking movement of one of said bars serves to spread the said depending wires and means acting on the rockin bar to normally close the containers.

l2. n a coating machine, a carrier comprising a group of containers, each group consisting of two bars, one of which is rock- -ingly mounted on the other, and skeleton members depending from the bars to form basket like containers, the lower ends of which are spreadable by rocking movementof the rocking bar, springs actingon the rocking bar to hold the containers closed and stops to limit the movement of the rock.-v ing ba each groupconsi-stmg of twin lextend between and are supported ontherocking bar vand a tripping camin the path of and adapted to engage said projection tov 13. In a coating machine, a'carrier comby the belts and the other of which is rockingly mounted on the belt vsupported bar,

-v with the series spaced longitudinally of and means to intermittently actumembers depending from said bars-toconstitute skeleton basket like containers and adapted to be spread at'their lowei` ends by rocking movement of the rocking bar to open lthe containers, a projection on 'the rock said bar-to thereby spread or open the lower ends of the containers. 1 5

' 14. In a coating machine, a carrier comprising endless belts, twin bars extending 1ers, a -tripping projection on the rocking- A lprising endless belts,-

between the belts, one ofwhich is sup on-the'belts and the other of which 1s rockmounted on the .belt si1pporte ibar,l spreadable vmembers depending Vfrom the@n gitudinally of the roll, for transferring the Y *i 'path lofthe said prio] {betwecn the belts, one ofwhich is supported by the belts and the other of which 1s rock-y ingly mounted onthe belt supported bar,.v members depending from said bars to con-' 4 stitute skeleton basket. like containers and Aadapted .tospread at their lower ends byfrocking movement of the .rocking bar to open'the containers', 1 trippmg cam in a tripping projection on the rocking bar, a rnovablyv mounted jection to raise the tripping carnj--intothe path ofthe said tripping projection. g

ported ingly4 said bars to constitute basket like containbar, lamor/ably mounted tripping cam in the 'ection and a rotative cam provided with ashort eccentric projec tionv to first actuate the tripping camy to partially tilt the container members, and

containers along the carrier,

with a longer eccentric projection to subsequently actuate the tripping cam tofully dividual to the pockets to guide the pieces tilt the container members.

16. Ina coating machine, the combination with a carrier provided with a plurality of transversely disposed series .of .containers '1. with the series spaced longitudinally ofthe the carrier, of a feed hopper above the .carv rier, a feed roll .rotative between the hopper` l and carrier provided with fa plurality of angularly spaced series of pockets with the.y series spaced longitudinally:

carrier, and meansto intermittently actuate pockets of each of the roll, forv transferring the individual pieces of product from the hopper to the containers, the vlor'igitudinal spacing ofi-the J pockets. corresponding to the transverse spacing of the containers, and the angular spacing ofthe pockets corresponding to the spacing of the series of containers along .the

ca1'rier, with means for intermittentlyactuating the roll, an'dchutes individual to the carrier,

the path of said projection Y anda rotative cam having an eccentric pro 15. In a coating machine, a carrier com#v twin bars extending the carrler, a `feed roll rotative between the Lacasse 17.' 'Ina coating machine, thecombination I with-a. carrier provided with a plurality of of `containers transversely Y. disposed series' the ate thecarrier, of al feed hopper above the carrier, a feed roll rotative between the hop- V per and carrier provided with a plurality of 4angularly spacedseries of'pockets with the 7 5 pockets of each series spaced longitudif nally of the roll,'for transferring the indi lvidualv pieces ofproduct from the hopper .to thecontainers, the longitudinalspacing lof the pockets corresponding to .the trans-.

verse spacing of the containers, and the angular,A spacingof the ,pockets corresponding f to the spacing of the series oflcontainers along the carrier, with means for. intermittently actuating the roll, 'chutes' individual to the pockets to guidethepieces ofv prod.

uct from the pockets to the containers, and

' means to shake the.v hopper in a directiony longitudinally of the'axisof the roll.

"18. In a coating machine, the combination with a carrier provided with a plurality of 1transversely disposed. series of conactuate the carrier, of a feed hopper above hopper vand carrier providedwith a plural- -ity of angularly spaced series .of pockets with the pockets of eachv series spaced lonindividual pieces of product from the hopper to the containers, the longitudinal spacing of Athe pockets corresponding to the transverse spacing .of the containers, and

` the angular spacing of the pockets corresponding to the spacing of product from the Apockets tothe containers, with means to shake the hopper, and

' vtainers with the series spaced longitudinally off the carrier, and'. meansto intermittently the bottomI of the hopper being grooved to direct the product to said pockets.

19. A coating machine comprising av'cardrier, embracing a plurality of transversely arranged groups of depending containers,

means to give, intermittent movement to the carrier, vmeans to feed the product to the containers, means'to apply alcoatingliquid to the product while in said containers, and

a vibratory shaker bar arranged in the path -of the lower ends of said containers and adapted to shake the containerduring periods of inaction of the carrier.

open topped coating -bath receptacle, a car 20. A coating machine comprising Afan'f ing containers adapted to he submerged into and passed-through a coating bath -in said receptacle, means to give intermittent movement to said carrier, means at the front end of the receptacle to feed the product to, said 4 containers, and means at the rear end of said receptacle arranged in the path of the containers and movable to engage the vsaine for shaking the containers after they have .emerged from the bath.

21. A coating machine comprising an open topped coating bath receptacle, a carrier embracing rockingly mounted depending containers adapted to be submergedinto- I and passed through a coating bath in said receptacle, means to give intermittent'movement to the said carrier, means atthe front I end vof the receptacle to feed the product to said containers, and a swinging shaker bar lextending transversely across the rear end 2a of .the receptacle in the path vof the lower `ds of the containers, wlth means for l swinging said shaker bar. I 22. A coating machine. comprising an o pentopped coating bath receptacle, a car.

rier A yembracing rockingly y mounted depending containers adapted to be submerged into and passed through a coating bath in saidl receptacle, means to give intermittent movement to said carrier, means at the `front end of the receptacle to feed the product .to said containers, a swinging shaker bar extending transversely across the rear end of the receptacle in the path of the lowerends of the containers, a vibratory lever pivoted between its ends tothe machine frame, a link connecting'one end of'said' lever to said shaker b ar, and a rotating vshaft provided with a crank for actuating the other end Vof said lever.

23. A vcoating machine comprising an open :topped coating bath receptacle, a cary rier comprising belts, front and rear pairs of pulleys about which said belts are trained, with 'means for giving movement to the carrier, transverse :groups of containers dependingv fromfthe laps of said belts, the front pair of pulleys being vertically movable, 'and means for giving vertical movement to said latter pulleys.

24. A coating machine comprising an open topped coating bath receptacle,-a carrier comprising beltsfron1t. and rear i pairs of pulleys about which said belts are trained, with 'means for givingmovement to the carrier, vtransverse groups of containers 'depending from the laps-of said belts, means at the front end of said receptacle for feed- Y ing product to the conta'iiners,said lfront pair of pulleys being vertically movable,

andmeans to hold the vcarrier with the containers in position ltoireceivewtlie product f from/the feeding means and arrangedfto depress said frontv pair .of pulleys: immediatelyvafter the product has been .fed theliff';

into so as to submei'ge rboth-the containersand product into the coating bath.

25.'A coating machine comprising .an i

vfront pair of pulleys immediately after the producthas been fedtliereinto so as to submei-ge both the :containers and product therein into the coating bath, and a cleansing liquid receptacle beneath .the `coating' bath receptacle into which the depending containers of the lower laps of the belts are submerged during the vlowering of said front pair of pulleys.

26 A coating machine comprising an l open topped coating bath receptacle, a movable carrier comprising-belts arranged with Itheir-upper laps above and their lowerlaps below said receptacle, frgnt and rear pairs vof pulleys about which said belts are trained,

front and rear ,shafts carrying -said pulleys, the rearshaft'beingmounted in fixed bearings *andv connected to carrier actuating 'i means,v vertically :movable bearings in which :the front shafts are mounted, means for giv'- ing vertical movement, to said front shafts constructed to raise the front pulleys during the time the containers are passing over the front wall of the receptacle and arranged to thereafter lower said shafts to submer'ge the containers and contents vinto the coating bath, and means for feeding the product to the containers when said frontsliaftsarein their uppermost positions. i

27. A coating machine comprising an open topped coating lbath receptacle, .an intermittently movable carrier zcc'nizifprising belts varranged withtheir-ii-pperlaps above and their lower laps belovv'f's'a;i'd receptacle, front and'rear'pairs of pulleysv about which said belts'are trained, front and rear.'shafts' carrying said pulleys, :the rear shafts being mounted in fixed'bearings, and' connected -to bearingsv in which the "front shafts are mounted, Ameans for giving verticalmovement" :to said front shafts -fconstructed 5to raise thefront `pulleys during ,the :time :the

the receptacle'and far-.ranged .to-thereafter lower Asaid shafts togsubmerge ,the containers and lcontents lf into the coating bath, "means -V carrier actuating'means, .vertically movable containersfare, passingover the lfrontiwall lof i'. f ljliwflif guided-,sie rack is @conne ed ots rriet'comprising'endless belts, fr'ont-fa'i-idv regni ,e

, a rcoat-ingliquid tothe-product in said-'conytainers,'means vvfor, discharging the 'coated 'prod'uct'fro'mi'said containers, a take-odl belt torec'eiv'ethe discharged coatedproduct, and

aafla-f receptacle for feeding the fito containers if when the fronftshaftsareiin pos`ition`andy mea into 'the 4bQttOHIS,

reing thexproduct .eine

container fof' receive'fthe product tobe coatedawithmefmstestare @ha .Carrier and t0 move it.y through the"bath-"fin-v lsaid '-receptacle,

tosaid'fiontainerml v n vertically movable, g andy carrier to the -yfeed'ing mea anstomaisethe as" 'the vconta-1ners vpassfthe. -sfarneafand r tofthere'after v,depress thejcarrierrtosubmergethegcont" 'nei-spin the 1' i i f -leSsQ carrier. en'ibracing containers for the lloldll, and supporting and drivingpul- ,.lcys for the carrier, means forfeeding prodbatln, i n y 30? coating open topped machine?v coating bath-,r

trained, containers depending rfrom the laps of the said belts, means atftlieafront end'of the receptacle for feeding producttofthe? containers,`the front pair of pulleysv being vertically movable, with means for lowering f them after the product had been fedyk thereto, e and means for forcing the productV into the less carrier embracing containersfor vthe l lower rends'of the containers `while being lowered into the coating bath.V d 31. A' coating Vmachine comprising `an open topped coating bath receptacle,a carrier comprising endless belts, front and rear pairs of pulleys about which the belts 'are trained, containers depending from thelaps of said belts, means at the front end of the receptacle for feeding product` to 'the' con tainers, the front pair of pulleys being vertically movable, with means for lowering them after the product has been fed thereto,

' said containers being of open work or basket like structure, a rock shaft at the front end of the vreceptacle provided with a plurality uppermost` 1 hich'sa'id belts 'are tra ined',=f

arryin saidfpulleys, tinted n l` lixedfbeary 'a'ctuatingy afts v areI mounted,v guides onl the' `frame;oniwhich `said-f'bearing"a're vertically f l' `ha'ft,.1` crank arms thereon d) front, shafts off the, cara'ctma'ted.'l means;l for v: rocking Y Y y acoatingbath an 'ndless carrier Vequipped 'o with nier o.,feedf5t h e' product. the car 'erfsi'ipport `being insane@ d open ,work or basketl like' containers, means to feed the product into said containers, of .mean's'ito :depress Y. the containersinto and `:.j'passthe'qsame"through acoating bath, of i)Insanetoifforce"thevproduct into the lower ends of; the containers.

133.v `ln*a'coa'ting machine, the combination withca'rrierequipped with a series of open w'nrk-vorbaske't like containers, means to feed-the product into said containers, and

`means to v*"vde'press thef'containersv into and ypassithe-saine'through a lcoating bath, of a rockshaft in frontvof tliefloading. position ofthe containersprovided with a plurality' of fingers, and'means for rocking said shaft to swing said'ngers rearwardly and downwardly through the containers.' i

34; In a coating' machine,l the combination-with a carrier'equipped with aseries I of open' work Ior basket like, containers,

means to 'feedl product-intoV` said con tain'ers, and means to depress the containers intro vand passthe samethrough a coating bath, rof a rock shaftv in frontof the loading 1 position of theV containers ,provided with a Aplurality `of fingers,saidy rock shaft being Vprovidedwitha cra'nkarm,- and a-'cainactuated pivoted lever having L aVA lnkf for .con-

necting it tothe `crank` arm offsaidfrocl;

. v3,5. A coating machmecom'prising an enduct to said containers, means for vapplying thereto. l

l Il

lli

.3.6. v'A lcoating machine Comprising' anaemi- ,i

product'and supporting and driving pulleys for the carrier, means forfeeding prod-v uct to said containers, means for applying a coating liquid to the product in `said containers, means lfor discharging the V"coated product from said containers, a takefot belt ,to receiveth'e' discharged'coated product,

means forraising and lowering' the receiving part yof theytake-oi belt', andmeans co acting with thev raising and lowering movement of thel belt to impart lateral vibratory tainers, means for discharging the coated product from said containers, a take-0H belt vided to receive the discharged coated product, means for raising and lowering'the receiving part of the take-off belt, a member on the machine frame having a vertically 'fluted surface, and a roller movablewith the takeoff belt to engage said fluted surface to thereby impart lateral vibratory movement to the take-off belt during the vertical movement of the latter.

38. In a coating` machine, an endless carrier provided with means to receive and hold the product during the time the coating Huid is applied thereto, and adapted to discharge' the coated product, withsupporting and driving pulleys for the carrier combined With a takeoff belt to receive ed product from the holding means, and means for imparting lateral vibratory motion to the belt during the time the coated product is delivered thereto.`

39; In a coating machine, an endless carrier provided with means to receive and hold the product during the time the coating fluid 'is applied thereto, charge the coated product, with supporting andy driving pulleys for the carrier combined `with a takeoff belt to receive the Coated product from the holding means, a frame for said take-oil belt, means for raising and lowering the frame, and coacting means on the take-off belt frame and the machine frame for imparting lateral vibratory movement to the take-oH .belt and its frame, during the time the belt is being'lowered.

40. In a coating machine, a carrier pro- With means. tovreceive product during ftheitime 'the'coating Huid is 'applied thereto, and adaptedtondischarge f the coated product, combinedk with a take-oli' and adaptedto disuly, A. D. 1913. and hold the' belt to receive the coated productfromthe holdlng. means, a frame' for said take-off belt, a vrocking cam on` whichjsaid' frame is supported, 'a rotative cam for giving movement to the rocking `'cam,`a shaft on which the rotative cam isjmounted, an eccentric fixed to said shaft, a driving roller for the a driving. rollernfor'saidv belt and' means for laterally vibrating saidroller and the. belt as the product'i's delivered onfthe belt. l I- 42. In a coating machine, the combination `Witha, container for the product, with means for` applying a coating material to the product in the` container, of a-take-oi belt'u on which the coated product is delivered? a raisable and lowerable frame for the ibelt, a driving roller for the belt, a framevfor the belt movable laterally to the raisable and lowerable frame eral vibratory movement 'to said belt and roller during the rising mentof said frame.

as my invention I affix my signaturein the product, with and means `for giving lat- 'y and falling move- In testimony, that I claim the foregoing presence of 'two witnesses, this 25th day yof FRANK H. WooLF. Witnesses G. E. DoWLn, W. L. HALL. 

